


The One True Timepiece in All of Night Vale

by valda



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Anniversary present, Explicit Language, Humor, M/M, One-Month Anniversary, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-08
Updated: 2015-06-08
Packaged: 2018-04-03 11:26:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4099276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/valda/pseuds/valda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carlos is all dressed up and he's taken Cecil out to Gino's. But what's the occasion?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The One True Timepiece in All of Night Vale

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by [an ask from whokilledcecilpalmer](http://cosleia.tumblr.com/post/120953230243/lol-what-if-thats-the-watch-carlos-gave-cecil).

Carlos looked _very_ nice in that slinky black dress. It complemented his Karl Lagerfeld lab coat _perfectly_. As they gazed at each other across their table at Gino’s, the same table where they’d had dinner on their very first date, Cecil wondered again what the occasion was.

“Cecil,” the scientist said, ducking his head adorably, a mess of shining black curls falling into his eyes, “I’ve been trying to keep track of time, and I think--though I’m not sure--that it’s our one-month anniversary today.”

“Oh!” Cecil blurted. Carlos was wrong, of course--their anniversary was next week. He could have found out easily by checking City Council’s relationship registry. But for once, Cecil did _not_ say what he was thinking. Instead, he said, “ _Carlos_ ,” his voice dipping low, and put a hand over Carlos’ on the table. “You remembered.”

Carlos grinned, looking relieved almost to the point of being ecstatic, and slipped his free hand into the pocket of his lab coat. “I got you something.”

“Oh!” Cecil said again. Naturally, he’d gotten Carlos a present too. But also naturally, it was at home, because their anniversary wasn’t until next week! “Um. I’ll give you your present tonight, at my apartment.”

Carlos suddenly looked embarrassed, and Cecil’s hands flew to his mouth. “Er, I mean, it’s at home! I didn’t bring it!” Was embarrassment _all_ that was showing on Carlos’ face, or did he also maybe look hopeful? Cecil felt his face warming. He filed that thought away for later. “Um, sooooooo, what did you get me?”

The box Carlos pulled out of his pocket and placed on the table between them was just about the right size for jewelry. Too big for a ring, but really, it was way too soon for that anyway. But maybe a necklace and earring set, or a bracelet, or a divining crystal, or, ooh, maybe a set of brass knuckles. The box hadn’t been wrapped at the store, though; Cecil would have recognized the paper. Carlos had wrapped this himself--and done a rather fine job of it, too.

“It’s so pretty,” Cecil said, touching the bright fuchsia bow gently, “I almost don’t want to unwrap it.” He glanced up at Carlos and grinned. “ _Almost_.” And then he tore into the package with wild abandon.

The box within the paper had a picture of a beaker on it, along with some very scientific bullet points. “Ignore that,” Carlos said, nervousness in his voice. “I reused a box. It’s not a beaker.”

Cecil chuckled and pulled open the flap at the end of the box. Whatever was inside had been wrapped in tissue paper. Cecil pulled the bundle out and unfolded it.

“It’s not--I didn’t buy you something new,” Carlos said apologetically. “This is--it’s the only watch that _works_. It’s the one true timepiece in all of Night Vale.”

“This is your watch,” Cecil said, gazing at the bright lettering that currently spelled out _HOLY SHIT it’s already SEVEN fucking THIRTY-THREE, MOTHERFUCKER!_

“Yeah,” Carlos said. “I just--I wanted you to have it. Because. Time is a thing that matters. Mattered. To me. But you. Um. You matter _more_.”

Cecil’s breath caught. He looked up at Carlos again. It was one of those times--very rare, for Cecil Palmer--that he simply had no words.

He wanted to hurdle the table, tackle Carlos to the ground, kiss him hard. Instead he sat, stunned, as the man he loved fastened the most meaningful gift he’d ever received to his wrist.


End file.
